A very gripping read. The ending could have used a little more time in the oven for my taste, but the atmosphere and writing style of the book are the highlights. I would highly suggest this if you want a thrill, if a bit of a weak ending.

Thoroughly enjoyed this one! I was a big fan of the author’s previous book, and this delivered the same slow-churning, gothic-inspired horror/fantasy that’s still far too rare—especially in m/m stories. The prose is dense at times, but purposeful, and the characters are deeply developed, especially the main protagonist. The worldbuilding and magic system unfold gradually, which may feel slow to some, but it worked beautifully for me. Dark, moody, and uniquely tense—this is perfect if you’re craving something atmospheric and queer.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Voyager for sending me an e-ARC of this book.

Kosoko Jackson’s "The Macabre" is an electrifying blend of supernatural horror, art history, and pulse-pounding adventure that had me hooked from the first page. The novel’s protagonist, Lewis, is a refreshingly original hero - an artist descended from a cursed bloodline who must confront the literal demons embedded in his family’s sinister paintings.

Jackson's prose is sharp, cinematic, and deeply atmospheric, capturing both the eerie beauty of the haunted art and the tension of each encounter. The supporting cast adds heart and depth, and the queer representation feels both natural and vital to the story’s emotional core.

"The Macabre" is perfect for fans of "Stranger Things," "The Shadow of the Wind" and "Ninth House," and I can’t wait to see what Jackson conjures up next. A total must-read for horror and fantasy lovers alike!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Macabre brings us Lewis, an aspiring artist that gets involved in something so much bigger than he could’ve imagined. He starts working with The British Museum and together they start searching for cursed paintings that were created by his great grandfather. He goes on a wild adventure, setting out to destroy the paintings before they destroy him and everything around them.

I went into The Macabre anticipating more of a horror story. There were some horror elements, but towards the end of the book, I definitely felt it was more fantasy. I was underwhelmed by the horror elements and around the 50% mark I had considered DNFing. I’m glad I pushed through, I thought it was an interesting concept and enjoyed the book overall.
Besides preferring more horror, I also felt some things could have been more refined. Another reason I had considered stopping at the halfway mark was I found I just didn’t really care about the characters or what was happening. I would’ve liked Lewis to have a bit more character development. We get snippets of his past, but having more of his background would’ve had me more invested.
Also, towards the end there was a small amount of explanation, but I would’ve liked to have gotten more near the beginning when Lewis starts interacting with the paintings, about how and why the magic is working the way it is.
Overall, it is an interesting concept and the story was decent, I think it could use a little more fine tuning. This

generally pretty good! definitely not the horror-ish story I was expecting, in fact it's far closer to a relatively cheery fantasy. sometimes we don't get enough about the characters, but in general it's pretty good. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

The Macabre is a about a man who finds himself thrust into a world of magic, art, and tragedy. Through friends and enemies he saves the world while wrestling with his newfound knowledge. From the first chapter, I was hooked, and found myself hungering for the rest of the story and I made my way through its pages. Honestly, I know I have a tendency to love every book I read but this is genuinely an incredible novel. Jackson’s writing is magically immersive as he weaves a tale of mystery, danger, loss, and love. Like the painters in his book, Jackson illustrates magnificent images as The Macabre comes to life—his words are his paint and the reader his canvas. With passion and fury these characters cannot help but hit deep inside. Complete with a Black and queer main character, and blending Indian, Japanese, French, Nigerian, and American characters, this diverse books is beautifully written and captivating. If you are a fan of art, mystery, magical realism, travel, or have dealt with death and pain, this is a book for you.

Ooh I am obsessed with this one! The story centers around an upcoming artist, Lewis Dixon, who has just received his big break only to find out that he has been recruited specifically for a magical and horrific mission within the art world. There truly is something for everyone in this novel between the magical realism, the queerness, the mystery, and the graphic horror moments that were perfectly balanced with the storytelling. I think The Macabre is a MUST READ.

Thank you Net Galley for an eArc of this book!
I was really intrigued but the plot and narrative, however I feel the writing fell short in some areas. The main character does a lot of internal monologue explanations for things, as well as internal speculation on other motives.
I also feel like some of the dialogue is meant to come off as very cool but it falls flat.
The plot and story are really interesting and get your attention, but I struggled through because of the reasons listed above.
I'm excited to see the author grow and can't wait to see what he has next as I think his ideas are fun and rather gripping, it's the execution that has room to grow.

Kosoko Jackson's "The Macabre" immediately hooked me with its incredibly inventive concept – I was really captivated by the unique blend of dark fantasy, art history, and adventure centered around Lewis Dixon and the idea of magical paintings. The premise felt so fresh and full of potential! I particularly enjoyed seeing the world through Lewis's eyes as an artist – that perspective felt authentic and added a lot for me, making him very relatable. The developing connection between Lewis and Noah also provided a strong emotional core that I found quite compelling amidst all the magical chaos and globe-trotting adventure. Jackson definitely creates some effectively eerie and atmospheric scenes throughout the book, especially when dealing with the paintings themselves, which I really appreciated.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the creative ambition and the overall journey, perhaps for me, the intricate plot occasionally felt like it was juggling quite a lot at once, which sometimes affected the pacing slightly in the middle. And maybe there were a few instances where I personally wished certain elements, like the finer points of the magic system, were explored just a touch more.

But overall, "The Macabre" was a truly unique and imaginative reading experience for me. I admire the originality and the way it blended genres, and the core story featuring Lewis, Noah, and the paintings definitely kept me engaged. It's certainly a testament to Jackson's creative vision.

I thought I was going to be reading a book about a cursed painting.

What I got was a book with a diverse cast of characters, secret societies, an interesting and unique magical system, all wrapped up in a book about many cursed paintings.

The story follows Lewis, a struggling artist dealing with the death of his mother. A chance opportunity arrives when he is invited to participate in an exhibit at the British Museum, where he meets Noah and Evangeline, agents at the museum and magicians.

Lewis is thrust into a world of secret agents, magic, and cursed paintings created by his ancestor, and only he can break the curses on the paintings. Along the way, friends become enemies, enemies become allies, and the fate of the entire world is at stake.

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson is a lush, atmospheric book that blends urban fantasy with queer horror, blending magic with art and sorrow that is felt through generations. The world building is very interesting, though I wish that more had been done with the magic system. That being said, the fantasy and magic is not the main focus of this book- rather, the way that characters understand their own pain and grief is a bigger focus, and I think that the way this book handles pain, grief, and loss is beautiful.

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson is a gorgeously chilling read that absolutely deserves five stars. It’s dark, lush, and immersive—full of gothic atmosphere, slow-burning suspense, and a creeping dread that builds beautifully with each chapter. I devoured it in just a couple of sittings and kept thinking how perfect it would’ve been to read around Halloween. Jackson crafts a haunting, twisted world where nothing is quite what it seems, blending supernatural elements with deep emotional resonance and some very sharp social commentary. If you like your horror intelligent, eerie, and beautifully written, The Macabre is it. Just maybe save it for a foggy October night if you want the full shiver-down-your-spine experience.

An incredibly unique addition to both the horror and fantasy genres! From the prologue, I was immediately drawn in and read the book fairly quickly because I had trouble putting it down. Lewis is a character who I felt almost attached to! I was invested in what was happening to him and just as eager to figure it all out. The author’s writing style flows easily and he does a great job with world-building as well as creating a different type of magic system. All in all, this was a 5 star read and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read in advance!

4.25

How to explain this book? Literary fantasy with elements of horror. It defiantly leans into the urban fantasy aspect but for me there is not enough detail on the workings of the magic system to be a successful fantasy novel. It focuses more on the darkness and horror of the air work itself vs deep diving into the magic system. As for character development, I thought it was done well. There is depth and dimension to them and as the reader I did develop an interest in their lives. I wish we had more of the dark and dangerous interactions with the pairings. I will admit this one did start a little slow for me. Which is why it is a 4 and not a 5. It took until about 30% in before it really peaked my interest. But once it did, I was hooked. Overall, this book is written so well and the descriptions are incredibly vivid.

Jackson’s prose is vivid and evocative, immersing readers in a narrative that explores themes of identity, legacy, and the transformative power of art. While some readers have noted that the magic system could benefit from more defined rules, the novel's unique premise and emotional depth have been praised. The blend of horror and fantasy elements creates a compelling story that resonates with fans of both genres.

Kosoko Jackson does a fantastic job in writing this horror adventure novel, I really enjoyed the idea of the cursed paintings and how it was used in this plot. The characters were everything that I was looking for and was engaged with how they were used in this adventure book. It was everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed in this type of book, I'm excited to read more from Kosoko Jackson as this was really well done.

Unexpected! Deliciously creepy and atmospheric, this horror novel kept me on edge from the first page to the last. The tension builds steadily, with eerie twists, unsettling imagery, and a chilling climax that lingers long after you finish. Who knew historical horror could be my thing!

Premise? Magical. Concept is so interesting and I found myself struggling with putting the book down once I'd find time to read. If there's a sequel, I'd definitely read it.

Lewis, an unwitting possessor of bloodline magic connected to a series of deadly paintings created by his ancestor, finds himself catapulted from everyday life into the thick of international magic investigation. Working at the service of the British museum, he learns quickly that his gift has the potential to eliminate dangerous works of art specific to his family. But what will Lewis be willing to give up to address the danger?

I went into this novel incredibly excited about the premise of “haunted / cursed” paintings, and the bloodline aspect of the magic really drew me in and piqued my interest. However, I found myself confused at several points and desiring of more information or more depth for certain plot points. My favorite parts of the novel were Lewis’ forays into the Dumonts, and the backstory of each of the paintings for Edgar. While the story always felt high stakes and was mostly engaging, I struggled at times with the antagonist(s). As a personal preference, I prefer character-heavy novels so this fell a bit flat in that respect for me.

Thank you for the advanced copy of Macabre!

Overall, especially at the beginning, I was totally in the story of Lewis. I felt his grief, his struggles, and I was so excited to see how he dealt with his magic he was uncovering. I felt the book was best when Lewis was able to truly describe himself within these Macabre paintings and survive.

Unfortunately, I felt after a strong start that the story began to get muddled. I felt very much thrown around, telling things versus showing. It felt like much of the story ended up being the reader feeling behind (at least I did) and then just having to ignore the lost feeling and continue on. I also felt this was a bit more fantasy, versus horror which initially I thought.

Overall happy to have given this a shot! I hope to see what else Kosoko has to show us.